In the 20 years since 9/11, no terrorist attacks of comparable magnitude have occurred. However, the specter of terrorism continues to loom large in the public consciousness. Pew Research Center’s yearly survey on policy priorities consistently shows that safeguarding the nation against potential terrorist threats remains a paramount concern for Americans, a trend that has persisted since 2002 (Two Decades Later, the Enduring Legacy of 9/11).
The impact of September 11 remains indelible: For those old enough to remember, the details of where they were and what they were doing when the news broke are etched in memory. However, a growing segment of the population has no firsthand recollection of the events, having been too young or not yet born.
Examining public sentiment in America over the twenty years since 9/11 reveals a nuanced evolution. Initially, the tragedy united a shaken nation in shared grief and patriotism. There was strong initial support for military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, though this enthusiasm diminished as the conflicts dragged on. The period also saw shifts in how Americans perceived domestic terrorism threats and evaluated government counter-terrorism measures.
The aftermath of the 2001 attacks saw counterterrorism become the nation’s foremost concern. A January 2002 survey revealed that 83% of Americans – an overwhelming majority – ranked “defending the country from future terrorist attacks” as the top priority for both the president and Congress, surpassing all other issues. This sentiment has endured, with large segments of the population consistently identifying it as a key policy focus in subsequent years.
In the years following 9/11, public anxiety about potential future attacks remained relatively constant. This persistent concern persisted despite only near-misses occurring and despite the frequent issuances of “Orange Alerts” by the federal government – these being the second-highest threat level on their color-coded terrorism warning system. The steady state of public apprehension seemed largely unaffected by these official communications and the absence of successful large-scale attacks.
An analysis conducted in 2010 revealed that public concern about another terrorist attack had remained relatively stable since 2002. The proportion of Americans expressing high levels of concern fluctuated within a narrow range of approximately 15% to 25%. The only notable spike occurred in February 2003, coinciding with the lead-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Public perception of terrorism as a major national issue has seen more significant shifts in recent years. In 2016, a majority (53%) of Americans viewed terrorism as a very significant problem for the country. This sentiment declined to around 40% between 2017 and 2019. By 2023, the percentage of Americans considering terrorism a very big problem had dropped further, to just 25%.
Early in 2023, before the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s subsequent takeover, public concern about domestic terrorism slightly outweighed that of international terrorism, with 35% of adults viewing it as a major national issue. However, other matters like healthcare affordability (56%) and the federal budget deficit (49%) were perceived as far more pressing than either form of terrorism.
The landscape of public opinion, however, may be shifting in response to recent events in Afghanistan. A survey conducted in late August revealed that an overwhelming 89% of Americans perceived the Taliban’s resurgence as a threat to US security. Notably, nearly half (46%) classified it as a major threat. These findings suggest that international terrorism concerns could be resurging, at least in the short term, potentially altering the priorities of the American public.
